Hand-held two-dimensional ultrasound devices are used to create diagnostic images of anatomical features of a patient. Because many of the images are further used to plan and administer treatment to organs, lesions, and other anatomical structures, the accuracy of the images is critical. One aspect of an image's accuracy is the degree to which the structures in the image can be placed at identifiable locations in space relative to a set of fixed markers or a known reference coordinate system.
One approach is to calibrate the ultrasound device using a structure with embedded elements placed at known positions in a coordinate system and using images of the structure and the known locations of the elements within it to calibrate the imaging device. The device may then be registered, for example, to another imaging device coordinate system, treatment unit coordinate system, or room reference coordinate system.
Traditionally, such structures (known as “phantoms”) contain a series of wires in a known arrangement to each other (e.g., all parallel, orthogonal, etc.). However, wires can only be detected with ultrasound from very specific angles, making it difficult to acquire sufficient independent images to use for calibration. Using such phantoms requires multiple images taken from multiple sides of the phantom and at very specific angles in order to detect the wires. This increases the complexity and amount of time needed to perform the calibration, and introduces potential sources of error.
What is needed, therefore, are methods, systems, and apparatus that facilitate the convenient, rapid and accurate calibration of ultrasound images to a hand-held ultrasound device, and registration of the device to a fixed coordinate system.